Hands on: Dyson Pure Cool (2018) review

Most air purifiers just sit in the corner doing, well, whatever it is air purifiers do. You don’t have to worry about anything besides occasionally replacing the filter, and, for most people, that’s fine. But, if you’ve always wondered exactly what your air purifier is doing, then Dyson’s new Pure Cool purifying fan is for you.

Officially announced at an event in New York City on March 6, the Dyson Pure Cool adds an LCD display that can show you when pollutants are in the air and how your air purifier is working to clear them out, along with a ton of other information. There’s a lot to unpack here, so let’s dive in.

Price and release date

In the US, the new Dyson Pure Cool fan starts at $449.99 for the shorter tabletop model, while the taller Pure Cool Tower costs $549.99. Dyson is also selling replacement filters that work with both models for $79.99.

In the UK, the Dyson Pure Cool purifying fans start at £399.99. There's no word yet on Australian pricing and release date, though we'll update this page if we learn those details. 

Both Pure Cool air purifiers are available now in the US through Dyson's website, and for pre-order now in the UK at dyson.co.uk. The fans will be available online and in Dyson stores in the UK beginning March 26.

Design and build

The Dyson Pure Cool comes in a single white-and-silver color scheme. Unlike previous models, there’s no metallic blue option, at least not yet. It’s sleek and a little futuristic, but besides the circular display, it’s pretty much identical to last year’s version.

The new Pure Cool is also available in two different sizes. The taller Tower is designed to stand on the floor with a long oval-shaped fan placed on top of the metal base. The smaller version, meant to sit on your desk or a shelf in your house, features a circular fan that’s slightly wider and a lot shorter.

The built-in display is a small circle of LCD right at the top of the base. It’s easy to read and navigate, though it may take a little time to learn what all those different numbers and symbols actually mean.

Performance

The Dyson Pure Cool is a powerful machine. I watched it clear out a small room full of smoke in mere seconds. It also made short work of a handful of other pollutants in a series of controlled demonstrations. It’s even powerful enough to blow soap bubbles.

The display also works great. It can show you exactly how many pollutants are in the air and update the number as it works to clean the environment. If you don’t feel like using the screen there’s also an app for iOS and Android that makes it possible to control your air purifier even when you’re not at home, along with an included physical remote.

Early verdict

Dyson made some nice improvements with the new Pure Cool, but if you already have a recent model there’s probably no real need to upgrade. However, if you’re shopping for an air purifier and you can afford to pay a little extra, this looks to be a great option. 

It’s powerful, well-designed, and packed full of cool new technology. Best of all, Dyson says it will continue to receive over-the-air updates. So you don’t have to worry that your new air purifier will be obsolete a few months after you buy it.